Video shows police officer punching woman on L.A. freeway

The officer was captured on a video taken by passing driver David Diaz. He straddles a woman and punches her repeatedly in the head on the shoulder of a L.A. freeway.

At one point, the woman appears to be using her hands as a shield against the officer’s fists. Towards the end of the video, a second officer can be seen arriving to help place the woman in cuffs.

“He just pounded her,” Diaz told CBS Los Angeles. “If you look at the video, there are 15 hits. To the head, and not just simple jabs. These are blows to the head. Blows. Really serious blows. And this is ridiculous to me.”

According to The AP, the woman in the video had been walking on the interstate, placing herself and those around her in danger. CHP Assistant Chief Chris O’Quinn said at a news conference that the officer was trying to restrain the woman so she could be placed in handcuffs.

The BBC says that the CHP will review the incident as a matter of policy.